Newbie senator dresses down his Senate chief in a privilege speech

By Raïssa Robles

By tradition, a first-term senator is supposed to keep a respectful silence while his elders in the august chamber speak out.

Last year, first-term Senator Antonio Trillanes broke the mold by engaging Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile in a debate that was disrespectful by post-Martial Law Senate standards.

Last Wednesday, another first term senator Alan Peter Cayetano followed suit. He not only questioned Enrile’s handling of the Senate’s multibillion pesos finances. He also demanded to know “Who is calling the shots” at the Senate – Enrile or his Chief-of-Staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes.

UPDATE as of 9:12 AM, Jan. 25, 2013:

Gigi Reyes has just issued the following public apology to Sen. Cayetano:

“I profusely apologize to Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano for my disrespectful and offensive statements as I was interviewed on DZMM Teleradyo.”

Atty.Gigi on ‘relationship’ w/ JPE:…just to whet & feed the public’s appetite for gossip,to gain political points,& to inflict more pain..

Atty. Gigi: ….as if the pain and ugliness we have all witnessed and suffered were not already enough

Atty.Gigi: …I still wish that the Senate President’s family and my own family could be spared from the hurt …

Atty.Gigi: …hurt brought about by malicious insinuations and imputations regarding my personal relationship with the Senate President…
Atty.Gigi: It is also a total lie that nobody can go directly to the Sen.Pres.unless they pass through me or my bro.as Sen.Cayetano alleges.

Atty. Gigi: I only go to the Senators Lounge when and as needed by the Senate President, or when I am called by the other Senators.

Atty. Gigi Reyes: I wish to disabuse the minds of the public that I enjoy any special privilege as the Senate President’s Chief of Staff.

Atty.Gigi:THE DRAFT SPEECH I PREPARED ALSO CONTAINED A STATEMENT TOWARDS THE END THAT HE (JPE) WAS RESIGNING IRREVOCABLY AS SENATE…

Cayetano justified his question by flashing two documents on a screen. The first one was issued by Enrile granting a cash gift to “all senators”. The second one was issued by Gigi Reyes modifying Enrile’s written order and exempting four senators from receiving it. As Cayetano himself explained:

If Cayetano had not delivered this in the Senate session hall, Enrile could have slammed him with a multi-billion pesos defamation suit, along with all the newspapers that wrote about it.

But because Cayetano stated everything in a privilege speech, you and I are also free to publish it without fear of being sued for defamation. By tradition, comments made by senators to reporters to clarify what they said inside the session hall are also covered.

Senate proceedings form part of “privileged communications” for which reporters cannot be sued for libel. Article 354 of the Revised Penal Code on criminal libel states that one exception to the presumption of malice in a “defamatory imputation” is the following :

“A fair and true report, made in good faith, without any comments or remarks, of any judicial, legislative or other official proceedings which are not of confidential nature, or of any statement, report or speech delivered in ssaid proceedings, or of any other act performed by public officers in the exercise of their functions.”

We cannot survive and continue if we are under the shadow of the doubt. Mr. President, tama ang sabi ni Sen. Lacson. We should not cast aspersions on each other. Pero hindi po namin ginawa yun – my sister, Sen. Pia, myself and Sen. Trillanes.

Tinanggap ko po yun at naming lahat. Bakit po? Courtesy and respect. You deserve it and you’ve earned it. You said almost 50 years in government and due to your age, I’ve always agreed with you. I agreed with you and disagreed. You’ve done good and bad things but that’s beside the point. That’s how you want to run the Senate, I never argued with that.

Inalagaan namin ito. Pinalalabas ni Ma’am Gigi na hipokrito at mukhang pera kami. Di lang kami nabigyan kaya umaangal kami. Di nga kami umangal at tahimik kami. Hindi kami naginterview. Check that on the record. It was only when you came out with the press release hitting us that we said anything.

This photo of Enrile and his Chief-of-Staff Jessica “Gigi” Reyes has gone viral on Facebook. Gigi Reyes sits in the same table with President Noynoy Aquino, Vice-President Jojo Binay and ex-President Erap Estrada during the latter’s birthday dinner.

I did my own math, Mr. President. ‘Yung P470 million, sa mga oversight committee ‘yon, ang nagli-liquidate ‘non ay mga chairman. My question now, Mr. Preisdent, paano po nili-liquidate itong P600 million? I was told that a big part of this is being liquidated by certification. Is it P100 million? Is it P200 million? Or P300 million? I was told na kapag personal services pala, kapag may savings, you can realign it pala. And you can also justify its use by mere certification.

So, Mr. President, let me quote your own words. Sabi po ninyo sa inyong speech dito, “the people have the right to demand from all of us an accounting of every single centavo of taxpayers’ money entrusted to us. No one is immune or exempt from scrutiny in the way public funds are spent.”

But here last Monday, you made it appear that it’s about the change of leadership. No. and your offering to resign did not answer the issue. And the vote to keep you on will not answer the issue. The issue is the funds of the Senate, and that’s what should be addressed, Mr. President.

Thank you very much.

TRANSCRIPT OF AMBUSH INTERVIEW AFTER PRIVILEGE SPEECH

Cayetano: “The transparency we ask from other institutions should also apply to us”

MANILA – The Senate has ratified a bill granting compensation to victims of human rights abuses during Martial Law.

The chamber approved the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2012 almost a week after the bicameral conference committee reconciled the respective versions of the House and the Senate.

The measure declares it a state policy to “recognize the heroism and sacrifices of all Filipinos who were victims of summary execution, torture, involuntary disappearance and other gross human rights violations committed during the Martial Law regime of Former President Ferdinand Marcos.”

Those qualified to receive compensation under the bill are victims of human rights violations committed from September 21, 1972 to February 25, 1986.

In the bill’s list of definitions, human rights violations include warrantless arrests, torture, takeover of businesses, enforced disappearances, media censorship, and other offensive acts committed by people in government such as the police and military.

The compensation will come from funds amounting to P10 billion transferred to the Philippine treasury through the order of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in 1997.

A point system will be followed in determining the amount that each victim or their kin will receive:

victims who died shall be given 9 to 10 points;
victims who were tortured shall be given 4 to 9 points;
victims who were detained shall be given 2 to 4 points;
victims who were harassed and economically oppressed or disadvantaged but do not belong to the other categories shall be given 1 to 2 points.
Furthermore, the measure establishes a museum where the names of all victims of human rights violations will be enshrined.

It also directs the Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education to “include the teaching of this chapter in our country’s history in the school’s curriculum.”

A Human Rights Claims Board will also be created to determine people qualified to get compensation.

Meantime, Cong. Edcel Lagman, principal author of the Human Rights victims compensation bill, expects the House of Representatives to ratify the bill if it is called to a vote today or tomorrow.

Lagman signed the bicameral conference committee report or the reconciled version of the House and Senate versions of the bill Monday afternoon.

He said that this is another piece of landmark legislation that will seek to compensate victims of human rights. — with a report from Jay Ruiz, ABS-CBN News

The following analysis on ‘Comelec … Resolution 9615 which set the rules and guidelines for all campaign propaganda including blog posts and Internet advertisements’ provides invaluable advice, tips and guidelines for CPMers (in my opinion) on commenting, submitting and expressing their preferences or dislikes and chosen political candidates.

Have a read. Hopefully our valued blog host has also one in her upcoming Menu of Articles to dish out during the campaign period in the lead up to the 13 May 2013 Election Day.

(Tony Ahn is chief digital architect for Tony Ahn & Co., a full-service public relations, digital marketing, and reputation management agency based in Manila. He has written on the subject of Internet marketing and digital public relations for Social Media Examiner, Convince & Convert, and is formerly a featured blogger for Social Media Today.)

Comelec has classified all individuals who create online content for blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as “media practitioners” subject to its jurisdiction, even if they are not employed by media organizations, according to Resolution 9615 which set the rules and guidelines for all campaign propaganda including blog posts and Internet advertisements.

The rules consider anything “not falling within the scope of personal opinion, that appear[s] on any Internet website, including, but not limited to, social networks, blogging sites, and micro-blogging sites (such as Twitter), in return for consideration, or otherwise capable of pecuniary estimation” to be political advertising.

This could have wide-ranging impact in the blogging community for bloggers who sell advertising and/or editorial space in their blogs.

Some bloggers are paid for writing blog posts, such as those connected with Nuffnang, which runs the largest blog advertising service in Asia Pacific. Abe Olandres, Country Director for Nuffnang Philippines, weighed in on Comelec’s new rules: “For the most part, the policy looks pretty clear cut and fair,” he said via a Facebook message. “As for the paid blog posts, it would be hard to show evidence if indeed a blogger has been paid or compensated for writing or promoting a candidate.”

Further, if personal opinion is exempted from regulation, but payment for promotion constitutes “political advertising,” this begs the question “What if a blogger is being paid to express a personal opinion?”

The rules state that “Personal opinions, views, and preferences for candidates, contained in blogs shall not be considered acts of election campaigning or partisan political activity unless expressed by government officials,” which leaves the door open for bloggers to be paid to express personal opinions in favor of the politicians who pay them.

With some of the more popular Filipino blogs receiving over 100,000 page views a month, a blog can go a long way toward shaping public opinion, and the 2010 election demonstrated that the Internet is now a major campaign venue.

Comelec’s rules may also affect celebrities that endorse political candidates via Twitter, and the agencies that handle booking those celebrities, like micro-endorsement platform Adinfluent.

“I applaud Comelec’s requirements for greater transparency from the online community,” said KC Montero, noted local TV personality and owner of Adinfluent, “but the new disclosure requirements themselves are longer than a 140 character tweet. I think additional guidelines for Twitter may be warranted.”

The new rules also specify that candidates have the right to reply to charges published against them, but state that “The reply shall be given publicity by the newspaper, television, and/or radio station which first printed or aired the charges,” with no mention of digital media such as blogs or social networking sites.

Inconsistencies

Resolution 9615 defines such digital media concepts as personal blogs, “collective blogs” (blogs contributed to by multiple people), and “micro-blogs” (platforms such as Twitter), but never invokes those terms again outside the definitions section of the document.

The rules specifically mention television, radio, and print throughout the document, but are silent on digital media in such critical sections as Lawful Election Propaganda and Prohibited Forms of Election Propaganda.

Section 16 (Regulation of Election Propaganda through Mass Media) clearly mandates Comelec to “supervise the use and employment of press, radio and television facilities insofar as the placement of political advertisements is concerned to ensure that candidates are given equal opportunities under equal circumstances to make known their qualifications and their stand on public issues,” but omits digital media from the mandate, meaning the use and employment of digital media isn’t supervised by any government agency during the election.

Further, omission of digital media from Section 23 (Removal, Confiscation, or Destruction of Prohibited Propaganda Materials) means Comelec is empowered to stop prohibited forms of election propaganda that appear on TV, radio, or in print, but not online, nor is there a mechanism for anyone to file a petition with Comelec to remove or stop the online distribution of any propaganda materials on the grounds that they are libellous, illegal, or prohibited.

In fact, Comelec’s rules don’t seem to take into account several scenarios. Advertising on foreign-based sites such as Facebook, which are unable (under their current configurations) to comply with the rules, will be extremely difficult to regulate, and impossible to track.

In addition, websites who display ads served by ad networks may face difficulty, as ad networks serve Internet advertisements to hundreds of websites that display their ads for a fee. This will require political advertisers to limit the frequency with which an ad appears.

“The idea of frequency capping is nothing new,” said Samir Ahmed, Sales Director and local Country Lead for multinational ad network Komli in an interview via Facebook, “and in fact it’s a best practice not often followed. I think the decision to frequency cap political ads is a smart move, and is definitely something ad networks can accommodate.”

It will be important for ad networks to advise advertisers of the new rules, as an ad network serving a political advertisement more than three days per week to a partner website may inadvertently land the site owner in hot water with Comelec.

Penalties

Violation of Resolution 9615 is serious business: according to Section 35, it is punishable under the Omnibus Election Code, with any person found guilty facing “imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years,” without probation.

In the United States, paid political advertisements are subject to campaign spending limits and other restrictions on candidates. In addition, paid political advertisements are required to carry disclaimers much like those required in the Philippines by Comelec, informing readers that ads were funded by a party or candidate.

However bloggers who are paid by a candidate, party, or political action committee to promote a candidate in non-advertisement form (such as a blog article) are not required to disclose this fact themselves, although the paying candidate or party is required to disclose who they pay via campaign finance documents available to the public. These documents are closely inspected by a candidate’s opposition, and US. bloggers who accept compensation for promoting a candidate can expect that fact to come to light, either through the press or through the opposition.

Blogger Juned Sonido, who writes Baratillo Pamphlet at baratillo.net, agreed with the spirit of Comelec’s new rules for bloggers. “It seems to me writing commentary about a candidate per se is not a problem. It is when the blogger gets paid for the post that then they have to say it is a paid post or an advertorial. Personally that is fine with me, primarily because I believe in transparency.”

“Resolution 9615 is not perfect,” said Jayvee Fernandez, who has been blogging since 2003, and “problogging” or making money from his blog http://www.abuggedlife.com since 2005, “but strict rules in this case are better than none at all. Ultimately there needs to be a better dialogue in crafting such guidelines.”

I really don’t know about JPE, but clearly, ASC is a hypocrite himself. Everyone in Taguig knows how he and his wife extort their own constituents. Millions per transaction over and above the required taxes and fees. Really, as in bigtime corruption. That, and many more stories even from his college days (I was about to vote for him, but I changed my mind). I am not surprised that the public sympathy is with him as he always presents himself as the savior of the people. In fact, whenever he meets with any of his constituents, he would lead in the prayers. When I was new in the city and during the first times that I met him I was starstruck and impressed at how religious and good-natured he was. When I got to know him better I was amused at the drama and hypocrisy. And really, privileged speech? You only do that if you cannot stand up to your words. Again, I am not defending JPE as I do not know him personally, all I am saying is, ang magnanakaw galit sa kapwa magnanakaw. Clearly, JPE is no saint (I don’t trust him as well), but I am just appalled at all the hypocrisy going on here.

On the positive side, the rip between Senators Cayetano and Enrile/Gigi Reyes will pave the way for a renewal in the dirty tradition of the senate. Everyone now is conscious on how they will behave as the highest lawmaker of the land. Meantime, he who erred must face the music…. these events is a perfect timing for the ‘Presidnets “Matuwid na Landas ” for he has still 3 years to come as President. The better if the LP will dominate the senate.

EDITORIAL | Everybody just shut up and pass the FOI law
By: InterAksyon.com
January 25, 2013 2:32 PM

The online news portal of TV5

We frankly could not care less whether or not the Senate President can still get it up. Would he care to be tested for erectile dysfunction, the esteemed Winnie Monsod of GMA News and Philippine Daily Inquirer asked Senator Enrile on live television, as she followed through on insinuations that Mr. Enrile has more than a professional relationship with his (former) chief of staff, Atty. Gigi Reyes.

OMG, Enrile said, but only in the context of saying he would consent – to being tested, that is.

Suspiciously, he did not object to the question. Never mind that it was improper and irrelevant, it was non sequitur. And so what if he is 88? Hugh Hefner is 86, and that is what the little blue pill is for. On top of which: his ability to perform has nothing to do with his ability enter into a meaningful relationship. Well, maybe it does. Depends on your definition of “meaningful” or “relationship”. Or “enter”.

But we digress.

Which is precisely the problem.

The point is that virility has nothing to do with public office, public accountability, and the real question we thought we were talking about. But this tail is wagging that dog, so to speak, and public attention is the bitch of the oldest trick in the book.

Neither does a debt owed by Rene Cayetano to Enrile have any relevance to the point on which the recent Senate imbroglio started. Look, we all know more than we let on. Media, believe it or not, would be happy to keep much of the details off the air or pages – and therefore selfishly to themselves – except of course until we are given no choice by legislators speaking it all into the public record.

In the course of these past weeks, we thought we were all being drawn into a public debate on transparency.

The mess we did not mind. Nor the color and personalities. A telenovela we would not mind for the viewerships and hits. But the public will remember – or maybe not – that for a moment there, what tantalized was the prospect of having vested interests and bruised egos powerful enough to finally see an important scandal brought to light.

This started off as drama, but people were hoping that it would build up to something cathartic. Initially, they understood that the fighting words had something to do with public funds being apportioned among elected officials, some of whom complained they were less equal than others. But ultimately, the people also appreciated, the issue is not fairness. It is not equality. It is not discretion. It is not about legality nor even about old and accepted tradition. Certainly it is not about our senators. It is – still – plainly about accountability, and the people’s right to know how their taxes are being put to use.

It was rather limp, therefore, even for Senator Alan Cayetano to propose a “private audit” of Senate operational funds. Why a private audit? Because, presumably, the act would be special. It would be for this instance of a scandal alone – for purposes of refereeing the mudslinging – but it would be hard to imagine the practice being institutionalized. It was a bluff among senators, each of whom, it has been correctly pointed out, has been partaking of this practice over past years and past terms. Obviously, after all, all this did not become tradition by carelessness and ignorance of any law. Quite the opposite. We proceed on the presumption that our learned and guilty solons knew exactly what they were doing, and knew exactly what could be justified under the laws they created.

So enough of that. The law being on their side, the remedy to the root of all this is a law as well.

Funny that as time runs out on the long-stalled Freedom of Information Bill – Congress has little less than a week’s worth of workdays left to pass anything else in the current session – there has been no earnest effort or even mention of FOI to remedy what supposedly has every aggrieved senator personally hurting. Malacanang, the House of Representatives, the rest of the Upper Chamber: they have all been passive and quiet as well. There is no real push to institutionalize the only real guarantee against unscrupulous practices and traditions in all our public offices.

We cannot expect our senators to go against established practices and the warped rationalizations traditions engender. We cannot expect them to fix the mess they have made for themselves. It will have to be the public that will have to be granted access to how their money is being spent, and their power as voters and citizens to be allowed to bear upon their elected leaders to institute change.

Just pass the FOI law, for crying out loud, and we can finally begin to take on all the changes we truly need, while letting our politicians thresh out their personal affairs on their own.

…Could it be that Cheap Shot JPE, disclosed the information about the 37 million peso outstanding loan of the Late Cayetano, as reasonable explanation for not distributing equally to the senators. Senators beware, honor any outstanding IOU to Cheap Shot Enrile. You could be next….

To Ms. Reyes,
With due respect Madame, why not apologize sincerely in the language of the common tao ? I just felt that as much as you try to be articulate with your so called public apology , it is all the more not addressing the majority real public – that is the poor, the hungry, people living in the slums, people honestly paying their taxes out of their meager income yet get nothing in return from our government because the money is being spouted down the pockets of so called leaders – senators included .
And seriously , how many among the common tao would mind your apology when they are too busy earning their money for the day’s food? In fact, what they do and easily understand are rumors about you having an illicit relationship with Senator Enrile. I know clearly that this is not the issue here and the question might be too personal for a person like you who’s gone private now having resigned from your post. But I believe, for the sake of JPE’s reputation which obviously, he tried to hogwash recently for the sake of his son , some light need to be shed on this one because this issue , unless clarified, just makes the two of you the BIGGEST HYPOCRITES in the entire history of the Philippine Senate.
Just an honest appeal from a common tao. .

BTW, the past came back to haunt another Senator (actor / noontime show host) regarding the celebrated rape case of Pepsi Paloma. The thee other noontime show hosts were named in the rape case filed by the noted soft drink starlet.

Who was helped by another sitting Senator whose companero (who provided the legal representation) was the late father of another sitting Senator. In the midst of the celebrated rape case in the early 1980s, the abducted starlet was rescued by another sitting Senator from Ben Ulo. Who confessed he worked for the Castelo clan, related to a sitting Senator.

NOW the sitting Senator did a petty exposé of unpaid debts ‘incurred’ by his late companero who happens to be the father of another sitting Senator.

While saying she apologises profusely for calling Cayetano et. al. hypocrites, she thn goes on to say that she really have just kept ths to herself! Howzaboutthat? At hindi lang ipokrito ngayon si Cayetano. Liar pa. It’s a lie daw na they have to go though her or her brother whnever they need to bring something up with the Senate President. Nabasa mo yan, Senator Cayetano? Now you can say “amaleyer”,

And no longer content now on Cayetano and co as target, she brings the rest of the Senators inside the boxing ring as well and takes a jab.. Bakit daw hindi sila kumikibo at ipinagtatnggol ang amo niya! Susme, hindi ba yung pagboto ng against sa resignation eh isang pagkampi na nga kay Enrile?

Even the Senate Secretary who made a judgment call of her own has also not been spared. And why should Ms. Reyes think that the senators and the Senate Secretary are there to protect and defend the Senate President? Hindi ba kaya nandiyan sila para sa bayan at hindi para kay Manong?So like her principal who said in an interview yesterday that he doesn’t need the minority, as he has his majority. He can pass bills with the support of his majority. His majority! Ganoon, he owns them?

And she wants to Senate President to tender his irrevocabke resignation because she thinks he is not being supported by his majority? Pwede ba, tama na ang drama. Kung magre-resign, mag resign na! Pulos kayo pangako!

And for the last word brought to you by the senator wannabe herself, I am profusely sorry for everything I just said. I just got carried away by my emotions. I should have kept them to myself! :)

Other than that, I’d very much like to know, who had sent that paper given to JPE. It was only after getting hold of it that the SP with ghoulish glee “informed” Sen Allan of his father’s P37M. And why the need to bring that up – who decided it?

I look at our country in a different perspective. God is in control. It may not be as you would like it to be but He is. He has to expose the sin in the high places and it is happening now – in the police and military… in the senate… in congress… and next in to all the departments… I thank God Pnoy may not be that good but he has high moral standard and God is using him to put into places people who are after righteousness… God has to do the exposing so that when He finally release all the riches of this nation for the world to see, no man has the balls to touch them… fear of God has to be restored in the heart of man… otherwise, they will continue to be corrupt and pockect the wealth that is for the people. “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin in the heart of its people will bury her to shame…” God is bound to prosper this nation… He is holding it for awhile but soon this nation will be to the envy of many nations. Those who wait for it and seek for righteousness will receive it and enjoy it… but those who continue to dignify sin will see it from afar and be envied of the prosperity of the righteous. And this is true to all of us as a nation… and so let us do what we can do to promote righteousness not only in the government but in everywhere we are because God has placed us there for a purpose… take that responsibility with all our hearts and we will be rewarded. Be blessed.

The constitution, Article VI “Section 10. The salaries of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives shall be determined by law. No increase in said compensation shall take effect until after the expiration of the full term of all the Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives approving such increase.” and “section 25-(6) Discretionary funds appropriated for particular officials shall be disbursed only for public purposes to be supported by appropriate vouchers and subject to such guidelines as may be prescribed by law.cralaw, show that all bonuses and almost all transfer of funds as currently done are completely illegal and improper regardless of current and past practices.

@Pochero,….I agree with your assessment :re Allan attitude so as Sonny Trillanes when he stood against Tatang Johnny lately , but who among the candidates for senate this 2013 election DID when TATANGs policy is too much for them and to us Filipinos? Except for lunatic Meriam and seldom Ulyanin Joker DID.

We have to select 12 candidate to the Senate remember and also the way Tatang Johnny DID to Marcos that was why we elected him also to the Senate and now become the SP.

When the rightful path are being violated and the wrong doing was exposed ,, the one who exposed, so much so if they were the least guilty are to be CONTEMPLATED and to be Rewarded if there is a reward. Re- elect Cayetano and Trillanes not that they are 100% clean but like ENRILE did to Marcos , fought the wrongful path when it was needed.

@Pochero,… Nobody was perfect iin the Senate so as the candidates for senate this year 2013. Remember we have to choice 12 of them , give us your honest LIST and we will review and follow you. Simulaan mo sa akala mong pinaka HONEST candidate at susundan ka namin SIR.

I’m not sure if this post is intended to praise Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. I myself am not impressed by his privilege speech. Let’s just remember that all these came about because of the unequal divvying up of the loot. Nagkagulangan sa hatian – not everybody happy.

whatever, guts and glory or fame and fortune, someone has tell what are happenning to these money which portion of them from VAT, those corruptors cannot kiss Sen Alans butt he he he he di matanggap ng mga corruptors someone will break the eyes from a colt he he he he

I see Cayetano’s privilege speech as a calculated act of retaliation. So there is undeniably a peronal motive there but it also shows the man has the guts and smarts to go toe to toe with a formidable opponent such as Enrile. Which is more than what we can say about a lot of his colleagues in that hallowed chamber.

With all these back n forth bangayan… sana yung pera gamitin nalang to rehabilitate the state of Cateel, Boston, CDO, ComVal and the rest of Davao Del Norte and Davao City and surrounding …. People there still in need of help.

I was quite intrigued with the introductory statements of Raissa with this article. Part of whics read as follows:

“Senate proceedings form part of ”privileged communications” for which reporters cannot be sued for libel.”

I thought right away the case of Yoli Ong on an article she had written on JPE’s book.

The following paragraph from William Espos’s column in Philstar today, Jan. 25, says it all:

“JPE seems to have met his match in Santiago. JPE was relatively shy in engaging Santiago compared to how he sued STAR’s Yoly V. Ong for libel. Yoly expressed her opinion over matters that have been reported previously and are considered public knowledge.

Is JPE trying to scare other writers and commentators from rekindling discussions about controversies involving his son Jacky?

Don’t even think about it, Juan Ponce-Enrile. We’re no longer under martial law and some questions just have to be asked.”

From the column of Rina Jimenez-David, Phil Daily Inquirer today:
(link in the comment box):

“As for Ms Gigi, I can remember quite clearly the response of Jack Enrile, the congressman from Cagayan who is running for the Senate, when in a lunch with media women he was asked about Gigi’s role in his father’s life. “I am very thankful to her because she has made my father into the man he is today,” Jack Enrile declared. The response stunned us not just for its honesty but also for the ringing endorsement he seemed to be issuing in favor of the relationship. And indeed, he added, his being “friends” with Gigi has led to an estrangement between him and his mother and his sister Katrina. “….

Why the Senate and the House of Reps. exempted from a rigorious accounting standards that applied to other government agencies. The COA should show some teeth and independence, afterall the COA is the sole constitutional commission under Article VI Section 20 of the Constitution that audit the records and books of accounts of the Congress.

Off-topic: I was about to read this post when I noticed a picture at the upper left hand corner right below the byline of Raissa. I almost spilled my coffee. Thought it was Raissa until I saw it was Sen Cayetano the younger. lol.

In Channel 11 at 9PM tonight state of the nation Jessica Soho’s program COA chairman Grace Pulido Tan was invited by Jessica Soho to give an insight how was the auditing procedure for the senate funds was done.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan apprised TV viewers that there is a COA office in the senate keeping an eye in the senate budget expenditures.

Jessica Soho asked Grace Pulido Tan how the senate MOOE funds are audited. Grace Pulido Tan replied since she assumed the COA chief it has been the practice of the senate since 1998 during senate presidency of Marcelo Fernan that a mere certification signed by the senate president where and how the money was spent NO receipt required.

Grace Pulido Tan added that who are we in COA to question the integrity and honesty of the senate president. she also said the same applied in congress MOOE.

Jessica Soho asked Grace P. Tan regarding what Alan Peter Cayetano recommends that an independent auditing firm must audit the senate expenditures. Grace P. Tan replied so long as no public funds will be spent by the auditing firm is fine with COA

“Grace Pulido Tan added that who are we in COA to question the integrity and honesty of the senate president.”

Exactly you are Commission on Audit Madam that is what and who you are.

One of your constitutional duties is to look at improprieties in spending public funds by public officers and entities. Is checking how the Senate President and the Senate spend public money beyond a mere certification above your paygrade? Is that not your mandate in the first place?

I dont know where PNoy’s Tuwid na Daan will end up with a COA like that. But then again, this is just my personal view.

Is that COA head position impeachable? If so, let’s get the ball rolling on THIS one, this incumbent surnamed TAN. She sounded like she doesn’t know her duties, responsibilities and BEING A CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION HOLDER. Nde pa nagsisimula audit ay TAKOT NA KI ENRILE! Yet she wanna have her scared fingers into the audit pie! DUH!! Let’s kick her outta there!

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino’s spokesperson on Thursday joined the clamor for the Senate to open its books of account, admitting that the “reputation” of the Senate as a democratic institution is at stake amid the Senate war over the “Christmas bonus.”

‘‘If the Senate President feels that he is not against it, then certainly we hope that the Senate will protect the institution–the reputation of the institution, the integrity of the institution, and vote on the proposal of the Senate President,” said Secretary Edwin Lacierda.

At his regular briefing in the Palace, Lacierda noted that being the leader of the Senate, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile “has already openly said that he is in favor of an audit, but there should be a vote by the institution itself.”

Read the rest of this article from newsinfo inquirer net/346461/lacierda-in-favor-of-opening-senate-books-for-audit

MANILA – The Palace commended Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for reportedly agreeing to open the Senate’s books and have a private firm audit its finances.

MANILA – The Palace commended Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for reportedly agreeing to open the Senate’s books and have a private firm audit its finances.

“It’s commendable that the Senate President has already said that he supports any auditing on the MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses]. If the Senate President feels that he is not against it, then certainly we hope that the Senate will protect the institution–the reputation of the institution, the integrity of the institution, and vote on the proposal of the Senate President,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“The position taken by this government is for transparency and accountability. Now, the focus is on the Senate and I think it behooves on the Senate to heed the people’s call for transparency given the situation right now where the imbroglio between the Senate President and Senator [Alan Peter] Cayetano has been the subject of intense discussions within the Senate floor.”

READ the rest of the story at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/palace-praises-jpe-allowing-senate-audit

What can he do? Nabisto na ang corruption and his erection, sori election tehnic..Oh my God, my bad.I just remember my Japanese neighbor, jk, when he asked a friend about a division election going on, that goes like this,How was the/your erection ? Of course this was one instance of the cultural shocks that CPMERS are very aware of. I am generally behaved but you know from the waist up I am still good, but from the waist down, ohh you never know. ;)

MANILA – The Commision on Audit (COA) cannot be taken out of the picture when it comes to looking into the finances of the Senate, the commission’s chairman said on Thursday.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano can still ask a private auditing firm to look into the finances of the Senate, but he will have to shoulder the costs of its services and have the Senate as a whole approve it.

Tan added that the Constitution provides that the COA has irrevocable jurisdiction over the auditing of any government agency.

Cayetano came up with the suggestion to have the Senate’s finances be independently audited after it was revealed that Enrile released some P1.6 million as additional “maintenance and other operating expenditures” (MOOE) to 18 colleagues from “savings” of the chamber in 2012, excluding Alan and Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV.

READ the rest of the article at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/cayetano-should-pay-independent-audit-coa

MANILA – The Commision on Audit (COA) cannot be taken out of the picture when it comes to looking into the finances of the Senate, the commission’s chairman said on Thursday.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano can still ask a private auditing firm to look into the finances of the Senate, but he will have to shoulder the costs of its services and have the Senate as a whole approve it.

Tan added that the Constitution provides that the COA has irrevocable jurisdiction over the auditing of any government agency.

Cayetano came up with the suggestion to have the Senate’s finances be independently audited after it was revealed that Enrile released some P1.6 million as additional “maintenance and other operating expenditures” (MOOE) to 18 colleagues from “savings” of the chamber in 2012, excluding Alan and Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV.

READ the rest of the article at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/cayetano-should-pay-independent-audit-coa

Let us not go overboard in praise of Senator Alan Cayetano. He is the chairman of the Ethics and Privileges Committee and I am still holding my breath on his review of Sotto’s plagiarisms. He is quick to defend his personal interests but not the nation’s interests?

As to Enrile’s transgressions that should be up for review as well. But I will not be holding my breath on that one.

Manila, Jan. 29, 1998 – Senator Juan Ponce Enrile confirmed yesterday that his wife Cristina had left their Dasmarinas Village home and is seeking to annul their marriage.

However, he denied rumors that the reason for his marital problems is because he was having an affair with his chief of staff, lawyer Jessica Gonzales-Reyes.

“There is no relationship other than an official and professional one,” Enrile said, even as he charged that the rumor is part of a smear campaign being waged by his political enemies.

The story broke out in the column of Manila Standard columnist and TV personality Jullie Yap- Daza. The rumor was that Enrile and Reyes were caught by Mrs. Enrile in a compromising situation in his hospital room where he was recuperating from a recent case of vertigo.

Both Enrile and Reyes issued statements to the press denying the story. Reyes said that while she visited the senator, there was never a time when they were alone as nurses and doctors were always present.

Reyes threatened to file libel charges against a tabloid that came out with a story about the alleged affair.

Senator Enrile told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he thought he had his wife’s love in his pocket. He confirmed that he and his wife of 40 years are facing a difficult time with their marriage and started discussing separation 4 years ago. He said his wife complained about his public life “and the stress it posed to her role as wife and mother.”

“I understand her distress, I always have, but I hope she will reconsider her plan to seek a dissolution of our marriage,” Enrile said.

He announced that he had agreed to a division of family assets and properties with his wife “because of love for her, not out of guilt.”

Government Corporation’s were doing that giving bonuses to their Board Members coming from savings and also not allowed by COA.

STATE Universities saving’s instead of returning it to DBM , cash drawn from such saving’s and given to their Directors, not also allowed by COA. Worse if they return the savings to DBM , a percentage share or a bonus will be given also to the budget officer , also not allowed by COA.

What difference does it make,… Almost all government entities/employees are drawing cash gifts from savings , be an appointed or elected , employed locally or by National Government.

COA rules and regulation covers all Government agencies including the SENATE, HOUSE , SUPREME COURT, OFFICE of the PRESIDENT and Government Controlled and Owned Corporation. Resident COA were distributed to these Departments , WHY WAS IT ALLOWED BY THEM for long years ,WHY?……Why do we still need PRIVATE AUDITING UNIT to check those illegal disbursement. Why are we going to spend another TAX PAYERs money in paying those proposed private auditors?

Resident COA are not allowed to receive Bonuses from Agencies where they are assigned.Why not let COA main investigate or audit the questioned transaction and discover if their resident COA are also involved in an anomaly .

i heard it somewhere that the difference lies in the fact that heads of constitutional offices are allowed to use savings for some specific things including bonuses. So Senate, HOR, SC, OP are doing it.

Should we count the Judiciary Development Fund as the same thing? I kinda heard about this during Chief Justice’s Davide’s term. If I’m not mistaken, this is of the same nature, earnings of the court and is being given as monthly allowances for court officers and workers.

…the big BIG question is: Will JPE or the Senate allow an AUDIT on it by a PRIVATE ACCOUNTING FIRM?

If NOT, gifts and Christmas DOLES to senators and senate employees continue?

Can it be possible for Lower House and Malacanang to put ZERO budget for the Senate in the next Fiscal Year?

If not possible, what then? ZERO in the voting for all senator-candidates this year’s election?

Possible? Yes, but improbable. Btw, in the next Cha Cha, can the people just have ONE LAWMAKING BODY…a unicameral legislature? Yes. What shall it be…a Senate or Assembly of representatives?

If only a SENATE [ like the Roman senate], one senator for each province. No more congressional districts. No more party-list representatives as there will be more ‘senators’ this time. So, eliminate ‘congressional districts’ with a SENATE system.

With one lawmaking body, the country SAVES A LOT OF PEOPLE’S MONEY; less delays in enacting laws; less politics; less corruption and ATBPA.

A far dream ahead but may come soon. Let’s dream more much more better of our political structural system ahead and not total sottocopying other countries’ system!

Section 20. The records and books of accounts of the Congress shall be preserved and be open to the public in accordance with law, and such books shall be audited by the Commission on Audit which shall publish annually an itemized list of amounts paid to and expenses incurred for each Member.

COA has the jurisdiction. Point is, accounting must be open to the public.

In the next Cha Cha, proponents, that is the delegates, must avoid the phrase “xxx in accordance with law” and make the clause ‘self-executing already. We’re sottocopying US constitution mostly. Let our delegates stop or avoid this practice. More legal suits are most often filed because of this.

As much as many possible, no more ‘xxx in accordance with law’ clauses! If they can write thousands of complicated statutes, why can’t they write a brief, short and clear fundamental law with self-executing provisions! It can be done!

One flaw of our present written Constitution is that it is somewhat so long in violation of constitutional writing at that. Redundancies a lot many, etc.

To me, our Constitution is good enough. Enacting an enabling law is where problem lies, more so, its implementation.

Radical overhaul of our Constitution is required if ever we decided to change it.

Maybe, CPMers can draft one and put it up to the ConCon assembly for scrutiny and consideration.

We dedicate a space…an article of its own that can be visited from time to time in the side, for people to comment , suggest, edit and debate upon. Concurrence of Raissa is of course must be sought first for the needed web space.

The good starting point could be, the merit and advantages of a Parliamentary system. People (locals or aliens) can voice out their opinions, and further down the track, we bring forth a solid base that would become the foundation of a proposed Constitution.

I was not an Alan Cayetano fan. WAS. Now I AM. I like his HONESTY, INTELLIGENCE, FAIRNESS, NATIONALISM… everything! If he runs for President, I wish I could vote 15 MILLION TIMES TO ENSURE HIS WIN. Our poor, impoverished country and people need this man, THIS KIND OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL. PASALAMAT TAYO AT BATA PA SIYA. MATAGAL PA NATING MAPAPAKINABANGAN… kung hindi siya IPALILIGPIT ng kanyang mga kaaway…. SO PLEASE….GOD BLESS SEN. ALAN CAYETANO EVER AND FOREVER. AMEN.

You said it right sir and i will campaign for him to win any position he wants to engage in. He is a very good example for other public official to follow. God bless the cause he is fighting for…the family who support him and his mother ( and the late Sen Rene) who give him exemplary upbringing…

With GIBO TEODORO fed up with politics as I read once, I believe our hope and salvation now lies in the person of SEN. ALAN CAYETANO. No one in the visible scene and horizon could be like him. Not Mar. AND OF COURSE, NOT, NEVER, NUNCA, KALIMUTAN NA LANG…. BINAY!

With regards to this issue between Enrile and Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, I stand squarely behind Allan. God does work in mysterious ways. Expect a battle, no, a war in the Senate. Enrile’s chief of Staff, Atty Gigi, should at least be reprimanded by the Senate Ethics Committee, or thrown out of the Senate. A libel suit against her would be nice too.

will we allow one like him to lead our country after President Aquino?

can we make a stand on who should we support for Senators to help the President carry out his program and vision for the country? I believe it’s high time that CPM’ers MUST come out with a solid stand for a senatorial slate…

@chit I too believe that this site and like minded individuals in cyberspace can make a difference this coming elections. It is time to unite our voices and resources to come up with a slate of candidates whom we believe can best support the vision of President PNOY. He might not be the brightest, he might not be perfect, but he represents our best chance in recent years to make up for the years we lost with Marcos, Estrada and Arroyo. Let us do our part and let us not be silent this time around, so that the likes of Binay, Enrile, Estrada, Honasan can never be voted again. Raissa, please heed our pleas, use this site to promote the right candidates for this coming elections. Thank you in advance.

The following analysis on ‘Comelec … Resolution 9615 which set the rules and guidelines for all campaign propaganda including blog posts and Internet advertisements’ provides invaluable advice, tips and guidelines for CPMers (in my opinion) on commenting, submitting and expressing their preferences or dislikes and chosen political candidates.

Have a read. Hopefully our valued blog host has also one in her upcoming Menu of Articles to dish out during the campaign period in the lead up to the 13 May 2013 Election Day.

(Tony Ahn is chief digital architect for Tony Ahn & Co., a full-service public relations, digital marketing, and reputation management agency based in Manila. He has written on the subject of Internet marketing and digital public relations for Social Media Examiner, Convince & Convert, and is formerly a featured blogger for Social Media Today.)

Comelec has classified all individuals who create online content for blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as “media practitioners” subject to its jurisdiction, even if they are not employed by media organizations, according to Resolution 9615 which set the rules and guidelines for all campaign propaganda including blog posts and Internet advertisements.

The rules consider anything “not falling within the scope of personal opinion, that appear[s] on any Internet website, including, but not limited to, social networks, blogging sites, and micro-blogging sites (such as Twitter), in return for consideration, or otherwise capable of pecuniary estimation” to be political advertising.

This could have wide-ranging impact in the blogging community for bloggers who sell advertising and/or editorial space in their blogs.

Some bloggers are paid for writing blog posts, such as those connected with Nuffnang, which runs the largest blog advertising service in Asia Pacific. Abe Olandres, Country Director for Nuffnang Philippines, weighed in on Comelec’s new rules: “For the most part, the policy looks pretty clear cut and fair,” he said via a Facebook message. “As for the paid blog posts, it would be hard to show evidence if indeed a blogger has been paid or compensated for writing or promoting a candidate.”

Further, if personal opinion is exempted from regulation, but payment for promotion constitutes “political advertising,” this begs the question “What if a blogger is being paid to express a personal opinion?”

The rules state that “Personal opinions, views, and preferences for candidates, contained in blogs shall not be considered acts of election campaigning or partisan political activity unless expressed by government officials,” which leaves the door open for bloggers to be paid to express personal opinions in favor of the politicians who pay them.

With some of the more popular Filipino blogs receiving over 100,000 page views a month, a blog can go a long way toward shaping public opinion, and the 2010 election demonstrated that the Internet is now a major campaign venue.

Comelec’s rules may also affect celebrities that endorse political candidates via Twitter, and the agencies that handle booking those celebrities, like micro-endorsement platform Adinfluent.

“I applaud Comelec’s requirements for greater transparency from the online community,” said KC Montero, noted local TV personality and owner of Adinfluent, “but the new disclosure requirements themselves are longer than a 140 character tweet. I think additional guidelines for Twitter may be warranted.”

The new rules also specify that candidates have the right to reply to charges published against them, but state that “The reply shall be given publicity by the newspaper, television, and/or radio station which first printed or aired the charges,” with no mention of digital media such as blogs or social networking sites.

Inconsistencies

Resolution 9615 defines such digital media concepts as personal blogs, “collective blogs” (blogs contributed to by multiple people), and “micro-blogs” (platforms such as Twitter), but never invokes those terms again outside the definitions section of the document.

The rules specifically mention television, radio, and print throughout the document, but are silent on digital media in such critical sections as Lawful Election Propaganda and Prohibited Forms of Election Propaganda.

Section 16 (Regulation of Election Propaganda through Mass Media) clearly mandates Comelec to “supervise the use and employment of press, radio and television facilities insofar as the placement of political advertisements is concerned to ensure that candidates are given equal opportunities under equal circumstances to make known their qualifications and their stand on public issues,” but omits digital media from the mandate, meaning the use and employment of digital media isn’t supervised by any government agency during the election.

Further, omission of digital media from Section 23 (Removal, Confiscation, or Destruction of Prohibited Propaganda Materials) means Comelec is empowered to stop prohibited forms of election propaganda that appear on TV, radio, or in print, but not online, nor is there a mechanism for anyone to file a petition with Comelec to remove or stop the online distribution of any propaganda materials on the grounds that they are libellous, illegal, or prohibited.

In fact, Comelec’s rules don’t seem to take into account several scenarios. Advertising on foreign-based sites such as Facebook, which are unable (under their current configurations) to comply with the rules, will be extremely difficult to regulate, and impossible to track.

In addition, websites who display ads served by ad networks may face difficulty, as ad networks serve Internet advertisements to hundreds of websites that display their ads for a fee. This will require political advertisers to limit the frequency with which an ad appears.

“The idea of frequency capping is nothing new,” said Samir Ahmed, Sales Director and local Country Lead for multinational ad network Komli in an interview via Facebook, “and in fact it’s a best practice not often followed. I think the decision to frequency cap political ads is a smart move, and is definitely something ad networks can accommodate.”

It will be important for ad networks to advise advertisers of the new rules, as an ad network serving a political advertisement more than three days per week to a partner website may inadvertently land the site owner in hot water with Comelec.

Penalties

Violation of Resolution 9615 is serious business: according to Section 35, it is punishable under the Omnibus Election Code, with any person found guilty facing “imprisonment of not less than one year but not more than six years,” without probation.

In the United States, paid political advertisements are subject to campaign spending limits and other restrictions on candidates. In addition, paid political advertisements are required to carry disclaimers much like those required in the Philippines by Comelec, informing readers that ads were funded by a party or candidate.

However bloggers who are paid by a candidate, party, or political action committee to promote a candidate in non-advertisement form (such as a blog article) are not required to disclose this fact themselves, although the paying candidate or party is required to disclose who they pay via campaign finance documents available to the public. These documents are closely inspected by a candidate’s opposition, and US. bloggers who accept compensation for promoting a candidate can expect that fact to come to light, either through the press or through the opposition.

Blogger Juned Sonido, who writes Baratillo Pamphlet at baratillo.net, agreed with the spirit of Comelec’s new rules for bloggers. “It seems to me writing commentary about a candidate per se is not a problem. It is when the blogger gets paid for the post that then they have to say it is a paid post or an advertorial. Personally that is fine with me, primarily because I believe in transparency.”

“Resolution 9615 is not perfect,” said Jayvee Fernandez, who has been blogging since 2003, and “problogging” or making money from his blog http://www.abuggedlife.com since 2005, “but strict rules in this case are better than none at all. Ultimately there needs to be a better dialogue in crafting such guidelines.”

I really don’t know about JPE, but clearly, ASC is a hypocrite himself. Everyone in Taguig knows how he and his wife extort their own constituents. Millions per transaction over and above the required taxes and fees. Really, as in bigtime corruption. That, and many more stories even from his college days (I was about to vote for him, but I changed my mind). I am not surprised that the public sympathy is with him as he always presents himself as the savior of the people. In fact, whenever he meets with any of his constituents, he would lead in the prayers. When I was new in the city and during the first times that I met him I was starstruck and impressed at how religious and good-natured he was. When I got to know him better I was amused at the drama and hypocrisy. And really, privileged speech? You only do that if you cannot stand up to your words. Again, I am not defending JPE as I do not know him personally, all I am saying is, ang magnanakaw galit sa kapwa magnanakaw. Clearly, JPE is no saint (I don’t trust him as well), but I am just appalled at all the hypocrisy going on here.

On the positive side, the rip between Senators Cayetano and Enrile/Gigi Reyes will pave the way for a renewal in the dirty tradition of the senate. Everyone now is conscious on how they will behave as the highest lawmaker of the land. Meantime, he who erred must face the music…. these events is a perfect timing for the ‘Presidnets “Matuwid na Landas ” for he has still 3 years to come as President. The better if the LP will dominate the senate.

EDITORIAL | Everybody just shut up and pass the FOI law
By: InterAksyon.com
January 25, 2013 2:32 PM

The online news portal of TV5

We frankly could not care less whether or not the Senate President can still get it up. Would he care to be tested for erectile dysfunction, the esteemed Winnie Monsod of GMA News and Philippine Daily Inquirer asked Senator Enrile on live television, as she followed through on insinuations that Mr. Enrile has more than a professional relationship with his (former) chief of staff, Atty. Gigi Reyes.

OMG, Enrile said, but only in the context of saying he would consent – to being tested, that is.

Suspiciously, he did not object to the question. Never mind that it was improper and irrelevant, it was non sequitur. And so what if he is 88? Hugh Hefner is 86, and that is what the little blue pill is for. On top of which: his ability to perform has nothing to do with his ability enter into a meaningful relationship. Well, maybe it does. Depends on your definition of “meaningful” or “relationship”. Or “enter”.

But we digress.

Which is precisely the problem.

The point is that virility has nothing to do with public office, public accountability, and the real question we thought we were talking about. But this tail is wagging that dog, so to speak, and public attention is the bitch of the oldest trick in the book.

Neither does a debt owed by Rene Cayetano to Enrile have any relevance to the point on which the recent Senate imbroglio started. Look, we all know more than we let on. Media, believe it or not, would be happy to keep much of the details off the air or pages – and therefore selfishly to themselves – except of course until we are given no choice by legislators speaking it all into the public record.

In the course of these past weeks, we thought we were all being drawn into a public debate on transparency.

The mess we did not mind. Nor the color and personalities. A telenovela we would not mind for the viewerships and hits. But the public will remember – or maybe not – that for a moment there, what tantalized was the prospect of having vested interests and bruised egos powerful enough to finally see an important scandal brought to light.

This started off as drama, but people were hoping that it would build up to something cathartic. Initially, they understood that the fighting words had something to do with public funds being apportioned among elected officials, some of whom complained they were less equal than others. But ultimately, the people also appreciated, the issue is not fairness. It is not equality. It is not discretion. It is not about legality nor even about old and accepted tradition. Certainly it is not about our senators. It is – still – plainly about accountability, and the people’s right to know how their taxes are being put to use.

It was rather limp, therefore, even for Senator Alan Cayetano to propose a “private audit” of Senate operational funds. Why a private audit? Because, presumably, the act would be special. It would be for this instance of a scandal alone – for purposes of refereeing the mudslinging – but it would be hard to imagine the practice being institutionalized. It was a bluff among senators, each of whom, it has been correctly pointed out, has been partaking of this practice over past years and past terms. Obviously, after all, all this did not become tradition by carelessness and ignorance of any law. Quite the opposite. We proceed on the presumption that our learned and guilty solons knew exactly what they were doing, and knew exactly what could be justified under the laws they created.

So enough of that. The law being on their side, the remedy to the root of all this is a law as well.

Funny that as time runs out on the long-stalled Freedom of Information Bill – Congress has little less than a week’s worth of workdays left to pass anything else in the current session – there has been no earnest effort or even mention of FOI to remedy what supposedly has every aggrieved senator personally hurting. Malacanang, the House of Representatives, the rest of the Upper Chamber: they have all been passive and quiet as well. There is no real push to institutionalize the only real guarantee against unscrupulous practices and traditions in all our public offices.

We cannot expect our senators to go against established practices and the warped rationalizations traditions engender. We cannot expect them to fix the mess they have made for themselves. It will have to be the public that will have to be granted access to how their money is being spent, and their power as voters and citizens to be allowed to bear upon their elected leaders to institute change.

Just pass the FOI law, for crying out loud, and we can finally begin to take on all the changes we truly need, while letting our politicians thresh out their personal affairs on their own.

…Could it be that Cheap Shot JPE, disclosed the information about the 37 million peso outstanding loan of the Late Cayetano, as reasonable explanation for not distributing equally to the senators. Senators beware, honor any outstanding IOU to Cheap Shot Enrile. You could be next….

To Ms. Reyes,
With due respect Madame, why not apologize sincerely in the language of the common tao ? I just felt that as much as you try to be articulate with your so called public apology , it is all the more not addressing the majority real public – that is the poor, the hungry, people living in the slums, people honestly paying their taxes out of their meager income yet get nothing in return from our government because the money is being spouted down the pockets of so called leaders – senators included .
And seriously , how many among the common tao would mind your apology when they are too busy earning their money for the day’s food? In fact, what they do and easily understand are rumors about you having an illicit relationship with Senator Enrile. I know clearly that this is not the issue here and the question might be too personal for a person like you who’s gone private now having resigned from your post. But I believe, for the sake of JPE’s reputation which obviously, he tried to hogwash recently for the sake of his son , some light need to be shed on this one because this issue , unless clarified, just makes the two of you the BIGGEST HYPOCRITES in the entire history of the Philippine Senate.
Just an honest appeal from a common tao. .

BTW, the past came back to haunt another Senator (actor / noontime show host) regarding the celebrated rape case of Pepsi Paloma. The thee other noontime show hosts were named in the rape case filed by the noted soft drink starlet.

Who was helped by another sitting Senator whose companero (who provided the legal representation) was the late father of another sitting Senator. In the midst of the celebrated rape case in the early 1980s, the abducted starlet was rescued by another sitting Senator from Ben Ulo. Who confessed he worked for the Castelo clan, related to a sitting Senator.

NOW the sitting Senator did a petty exposé of unpaid debts ‘incurred’ by his late companero who happens to be the father of another sitting Senator.

While saying she apologises profusely for calling Cayetano et. al. hypocrites, she thn goes on to say that she really have just kept ths to herself! Howzaboutthat? At hindi lang ipokrito ngayon si Cayetano. Liar pa. It’s a lie daw na they have to go though her or her brother whnever they need to bring something up with the Senate President. Nabasa mo yan, Senator Cayetano? Now you can say “amaleyer”,

And no longer content now on Cayetano and co as target, she brings the rest of the Senators inside the boxing ring as well and takes a jab.. Bakit daw hindi sila kumikibo at ipinagtatnggol ang amo niya! Susme, hindi ba yung pagboto ng against sa resignation eh isang pagkampi na nga kay Enrile?

Even the Senate Secretary who made a judgment call of her own has also not been spared. And why should Ms. Reyes think that the senators and the Senate Secretary are there to protect and defend the Senate President? Hindi ba kaya nandiyan sila para sa bayan at hindi para kay Manong?So like her principal who said in an interview yesterday that he doesn’t need the minority, as he has his majority. He can pass bills with the support of his majority. His majority! Ganoon, he owns them?

And she wants to Senate President to tender his irrevocabke resignation because she thinks he is not being supported by his majority? Pwede ba, tama na ang drama. Kung magre-resign, mag resign na! Pulos kayo pangako!

And for the last word brought to you by the senator wannabe herself, I am profusely sorry for everything I just said. I just got carried away by my emotions. I should have kept them to myself! :)

Other than that, I’d very much like to know, who had sent that paper given to JPE. It was only after getting hold of it that the SP with ghoulish glee “informed” Sen Allan of his father’s P37M. And why the need to bring that up – who decided it?

I look at our country in a different perspective. God is in control. It may not be as you would like it to be but He is. He has to expose the sin in the high places and it is happening now – in the police and military… in the senate… in congress… and next in to all the departments… I thank God Pnoy may not be that good but he has high moral standard and God is using him to put into places people who are after righteousness… God has to do the exposing so that when He finally release all the riches of this nation for the world to see, no man has the balls to touch them… fear of God has to be restored in the heart of man… otherwise, they will continue to be corrupt and pockect the wealth that is for the people. “Righteousness exalts a nation but sin in the heart of its people will bury her to shame…” God is bound to prosper this nation… He is holding it for awhile but soon this nation will be to the envy of many nations. Those who wait for it and seek for righteousness will receive it and enjoy it… but those who continue to dignify sin will see it from afar and be envied of the prosperity of the righteous. And this is true to all of us as a nation… and so let us do what we can do to promote righteousness not only in the government but in everywhere we are because God has placed us there for a purpose… take that responsibility with all our hearts and we will be rewarded. Be blessed.

The constitution, Article VI “Section 10. The salaries of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives shall be determined by law. No increase in said compensation shall take effect until after the expiration of the full term of all the Members of the Senate and the House of Representatives approving such increase.” and “section 25-(6) Discretionary funds appropriated for particular officials shall be disbursed only for public purposes to be supported by appropriate vouchers and subject to such guidelines as may be prescribed by law.cralaw, show that all bonuses and almost all transfer of funds as currently done are completely illegal and improper regardless of current and past practices.

@Pochero,….I agree with your assessment :re Allan attitude so as Sonny Trillanes when he stood against Tatang Johnny lately , but who among the candidates for senate this 2013 election DID when TATANGs policy is too much for them and to us Filipinos? Except for lunatic Meriam and seldom Ulyanin Joker DID.

We have to select 12 candidate to the Senate remember and also the way Tatang Johnny DID to Marcos that was why we elected him also to the Senate and now become the SP.

When the rightful path are being violated and the wrong doing was exposed ,, the one who exposed, so much so if they were the least guilty are to be CONTEMPLATED and to be Rewarded if there is a reward. Re- elect Cayetano and Trillanes not that they are 100% clean but like ENRILE did to Marcos , fought the wrongful path when it was needed.

@Pochero,… Nobody was perfect iin the Senate so as the candidates for senate this year 2013. Remember we have to choice 12 of them , give us your honest LIST and we will review and follow you. Simulaan mo sa akala mong pinaka HONEST candidate at susundan ka namin SIR.

I’m not sure if this post is intended to praise Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano. I myself am not impressed by his privilege speech. Let’s just remember that all these came about because of the unequal divvying up of the loot. Nagkagulangan sa hatian – not everybody happy.

whatever, guts and glory or fame and fortune, someone has tell what are happenning to these money which portion of them from VAT, those corruptors cannot kiss Sen Alans butt he he he he di matanggap ng mga corruptors someone will break the eyes from a colt he he he he

I see Cayetano’s privilege speech as a calculated act of retaliation. So there is undeniably a peronal motive there but it also shows the man has the guts and smarts to go toe to toe with a formidable opponent such as Enrile. Which is more than what we can say about a lot of his colleagues in that hallowed chamber.

With all these back n forth bangayan… sana yung pera gamitin nalang to rehabilitate the state of Cateel, Boston, CDO, ComVal and the rest of Davao Del Norte and Davao City and surrounding …. People there still in need of help.

I was quite intrigued with the introductory statements of Raissa with this article. Part of whics read as follows:

“Senate proceedings form part of ”privileged communications” for which reporters cannot be sued for libel.”

I thought right away the case of Yoli Ong on an article she had written on JPE’s book.

The following paragraph from William Espos’s column in Philstar today, Jan. 25, says it all:

“JPE seems to have met his match in Santiago. JPE was relatively shy in engaging Santiago compared to how he sued STAR’s Yoly V. Ong for libel. Yoly expressed her opinion over matters that have been reported previously and are considered public knowledge.

Is JPE trying to scare other writers and commentators from rekindling discussions about controversies involving his son Jacky?

Don’t even think about it, Juan Ponce-Enrile. We’re no longer under martial law and some questions just have to be asked.”

From the column of Rina Jimenez-David, Phil Daily Inquirer today:
(link in the comment box):

“As for Ms Gigi, I can remember quite clearly the response of Jack Enrile, the congressman from Cagayan who is running for the Senate, when in a lunch with media women he was asked about Gigi’s role in his father’s life. “I am very thankful to her because she has made my father into the man he is today,” Jack Enrile declared. The response stunned us not just for its honesty but also for the ringing endorsement he seemed to be issuing in favor of the relationship. And indeed, he added, his being “friends” with Gigi has led to an estrangement between him and his mother and his sister Katrina. “….

Why the Senate and the House of Reps. exempted from a rigorious accounting standards that applied to other government agencies. The COA should show some teeth and independence, afterall the COA is the sole constitutional commission under Article VI Section 20 of the Constitution that audit the records and books of accounts of the Congress.

Off-topic: I was about to read this post when I noticed a picture at the upper left hand corner right below the byline of Raissa. I almost spilled my coffee. Thought it was Raissa until I saw it was Sen Cayetano the younger. lol.

In Channel 11 at 9PM tonight state of the nation Jessica Soho’s program COA chairman Grace Pulido Tan was invited by Jessica Soho to give an insight how was the auditing procedure for the senate funds was done.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan apprised TV viewers that there is a COA office in the senate keeping an eye in the senate budget expenditures.

Jessica Soho asked Grace Pulido Tan how the senate MOOE funds are audited. Grace Pulido Tan replied since she assumed the COA chief it has been the practice of the senate since 1998 during senate presidency of Marcelo Fernan that a mere certification signed by the senate president where and how the money was spent NO receipt required.

Grace Pulido Tan added that who are we in COA to question the integrity and honesty of the senate president. she also said the same applied in congress MOOE.

Jessica Soho asked Grace P. Tan regarding what Alan Peter Cayetano recommends that an independent auditing firm must audit the senate expenditures. Grace P. Tan replied so long as no public funds will be spent by the auditing firm is fine with COA

“Grace Pulido Tan added that who are we in COA to question the integrity and honesty of the senate president.”

Exactly you are Commission on Audit Madam that is what and who you are.

One of your constitutional duties is to look at improprieties in spending public funds by public officers and entities. Is checking how the Senate President and the Senate spend public money beyond a mere certification above your paygrade? Is that not your mandate in the first place?

I dont know where PNoy’s Tuwid na Daan will end up with a COA like that. But then again, this is just my personal view.

Is that COA head position impeachable? If so, let’s get the ball rolling on THIS one, this incumbent surnamed TAN. She sounded like she doesn’t know her duties, responsibilities and BEING A CONSTITUTIONAL POSITION HOLDER. Nde pa nagsisimula audit ay TAKOT NA KI ENRILE! Yet she wanna have her scared fingers into the audit pie! DUH!! Let’s kick her outta there!

Presidential spokesperson Edwin Lacierda. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines–President Aquino’s spokesperson on Thursday joined the clamor for the Senate to open its books of account, admitting that the “reputation” of the Senate as a democratic institution is at stake amid the Senate war over the “Christmas bonus.”

‘‘If the Senate President feels that he is not against it, then certainly we hope that the Senate will protect the institution–the reputation of the institution, the integrity of the institution, and vote on the proposal of the Senate President,” said Secretary Edwin Lacierda.

At his regular briefing in the Palace, Lacierda noted that being the leader of the Senate, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile “has already openly said that he is in favor of an audit, but there should be a vote by the institution itself.”

Read the rest of this article from newsinfo inquirer net/346461/lacierda-in-favor-of-opening-senate-books-for-audit

MANILA – The Palace commended Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for reportedly agreeing to open the Senate’s books and have a private firm audit its finances.

MANILA – The Palace commended Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile for reportedly agreeing to open the Senate’s books and have a private firm audit its finances.

“It’s commendable that the Senate President has already said that he supports any auditing on the MOOE [Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses]. If the Senate President feels that he is not against it, then certainly we hope that the Senate will protect the institution–the reputation of the institution, the integrity of the institution, and vote on the proposal of the Senate President,” Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said.

“The position taken by this government is for transparency and accountability. Now, the focus is on the Senate and I think it behooves on the Senate to heed the people’s call for transparency given the situation right now where the imbroglio between the Senate President and Senator [Alan Peter] Cayetano has been the subject of intense discussions within the Senate floor.”

READ the rest of the story at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/palace-praises-jpe-allowing-senate-audit

What can he do? Nabisto na ang corruption and his erection, sori election tehnic..Oh my God, my bad.I just remember my Japanese neighbor, jk, when he asked a friend about a division election going on, that goes like this,How was the/your erection ? Of course this was one instance of the cultural shocks that CPMERS are very aware of. I am generally behaved but you know from the waist up I am still good, but from the waist down, ohh you never know. ;)

MANILA – The Commision on Audit (COA) cannot be taken out of the picture when it comes to looking into the finances of the Senate, the commission’s chairman said on Thursday.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano can still ask a private auditing firm to look into the finances of the Senate, but he will have to shoulder the costs of its services and have the Senate as a whole approve it.

Tan added that the Constitution provides that the COA has irrevocable jurisdiction over the auditing of any government agency.

Cayetano came up with the suggestion to have the Senate’s finances be independently audited after it was revealed that Enrile released some P1.6 million as additional “maintenance and other operating expenditures” (MOOE) to 18 colleagues from “savings” of the chamber in 2012, excluding Alan and Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV.

READ the rest of the article at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/cayetano-should-pay-independent-audit-coa

MANILA – The Commision on Audit (COA) cannot be taken out of the picture when it comes to looking into the finances of the Senate, the commission’s chairman said on Thursday.

COA Chairman Grace Pulido Tan said Senator Alan Peter Cayetano can still ask a private auditing firm to look into the finances of the Senate, but he will have to shoulder the costs of its services and have the Senate as a whole approve it.

Tan added that the Constitution provides that the COA has irrevocable jurisdiction over the auditing of any government agency.

Cayetano came up with the suggestion to have the Senate’s finances be independently audited after it was revealed that Enrile released some P1.6 million as additional “maintenance and other operating expenditures” (MOOE) to 18 colleagues from “savings” of the chamber in 2012, excluding Alan and Pia Cayetano, Miriam Defensor-Santiago and Antonio Trillanes IV.

READ the rest of the article at www abs-cbnnews com/nation/01/24/13/cayetano-should-pay-independent-audit-coa

Let us not go overboard in praise of Senator Alan Cayetano. He is the chairman of the Ethics and Privileges Committee and I am still holding my breath on his review of Sotto’s plagiarisms. He is quick to defend his personal interests but not the nation’s interests?

As to Enrile’s transgressions that should be up for review as well. But I will not be holding my breath on that one.

Manila, Jan. 29, 1998 – Senator Juan Ponce Enrile confirmed yesterday that his wife Cristina had left their Dasmarinas Village home and is seeking to annul their marriage.

However, he denied rumors that the reason for his marital problems is because he was having an affair with his chief of staff, lawyer Jessica Gonzales-Reyes.

“There is no relationship other than an official and professional one,” Enrile said, even as he charged that the rumor is part of a smear campaign being waged by his political enemies.

The story broke out in the column of Manila Standard columnist and TV personality Jullie Yap- Daza. The rumor was that Enrile and Reyes were caught by Mrs. Enrile in a compromising situation in his hospital room where he was recuperating from a recent case of vertigo.

Both Enrile and Reyes issued statements to the press denying the story. Reyes said that while she visited the senator, there was never a time when they were alone as nurses and doctors were always present.

Reyes threatened to file libel charges against a tabloid that came out with a story about the alleged affair.

Senator Enrile told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that he thought he had his wife’s love in his pocket. He confirmed that he and his wife of 40 years are facing a difficult time with their marriage and started discussing separation 4 years ago. He said his wife complained about his public life “and the stress it posed to her role as wife and mother.”

“I understand her distress, I always have, but I hope she will reconsider her plan to seek a dissolution of our marriage,” Enrile said.

He announced that he had agreed to a division of family assets and properties with his wife “because of love for her, not out of guilt.”

Government Corporation’s were doing that giving bonuses to their Board Members coming from savings and also not allowed by COA.

STATE Universities saving’s instead of returning it to DBM , cash drawn from such saving’s and given to their Directors, not also allowed by COA. Worse if they return the savings to DBM , a percentage share or a bonus will be given also to the budget officer , also not allowed by COA.

What difference does it make,… Almost all government entities/employees are drawing cash gifts from savings , be an appointed or elected , employed locally or by National Government.

COA rules and regulation covers all Government agencies including the SENATE, HOUSE , SUPREME COURT, OFFICE of the PRESIDENT and Government Controlled and Owned Corporation. Resident COA were distributed to these Departments , WHY WAS IT ALLOWED BY THEM for long years ,WHY?……Why do we still need PRIVATE AUDITING UNIT to check those illegal disbursement. Why are we going to spend another TAX PAYERs money in paying those proposed private auditors?

Resident COA are not allowed to receive Bonuses from Agencies where they are assigned.Why not let COA main investigate or audit the questioned transaction and discover if their resident COA are also involved in an anomaly .

i heard it somewhere that the difference lies in the fact that heads of constitutional offices are allowed to use savings for some specific things including bonuses. So Senate, HOR, SC, OP are doing it.

Should we count the Judiciary Development Fund as the same thing? I kinda heard about this during Chief Justice’s Davide’s term. If I’m not mistaken, this is of the same nature, earnings of the court and is being given as monthly allowances for court officers and workers.

…the big BIG question is: Will JPE or the Senate allow an AUDIT on it by a PRIVATE ACCOUNTING FIRM?

If NOT, gifts and Christmas DOLES to senators and senate employees continue?

Can it be possible for Lower House and Malacanang to put ZERO budget for the Senate in the next Fiscal Year?

If not possible, what then? ZERO in the voting for all senator-candidates this year’s election?

Possible? Yes, but improbable. Btw, in the next Cha Cha, can the people just have ONE LAWMAKING BODY…a unicameral legislature? Yes. What shall it be…a Senate or Assembly of representatives?

If only a SENATE [ like the Roman senate], one senator for each province. No more congressional districts. No more party-list representatives as there will be more ‘senators’ this time. So, eliminate ‘congressional districts’ with a SENATE system.

With one lawmaking body, the country SAVES A LOT OF PEOPLE’S MONEY; less delays in enacting laws; less politics; less corruption and ATBPA.

A far dream ahead but may come soon. Let’s dream more much more better of our political structural system ahead and not total sottocopying other countries’ system!

Section 20. The records and books of accounts of the Congress shall be preserved and be open to the public in accordance with law, and such books shall be audited by the Commission on Audit which shall publish annually an itemized list of amounts paid to and expenses incurred for each Member.

COA has the jurisdiction. Point is, accounting must be open to the public.

In the next Cha Cha, proponents, that is the delegates, must avoid the phrase “xxx in accordance with law” and make the clause ‘self-executing already. We’re sottocopying US constitution mostly. Let our delegates stop or avoid this practice. More legal suits are most often filed because of this.

As much as many possible, no more ‘xxx in accordance with law’ clauses! If they can write thousands of complicated statutes, why can’t they write a brief, short and clear fundamental law with self-executing provisions! It can be done!

One flaw of our present written Constitution is that it is somewhat so long in violation of constitutional writing at that. Redundancies a lot many, etc.

To me, our Constitution is good enough. Enacting an enabling law is where problem lies, more so, its implementation.

Radical overhaul of our Constitution is required if ever we decided to change it.

Maybe, CPMers can draft one and put it up to the ConCon assembly for scrutiny and consideration.

We dedicate a space…an article of its own that can be visited from time to time in the side, for people to comment , suggest, edit and debate upon. Concurrence of Raissa is of course must be sought first for the needed web space.

The good starting point could be, the merit and advantages of a Parliamentary system. People (locals or aliens) can voice out their opinions, and further down the track, we bring forth a solid base that would become the foundation of a proposed Constitution.

I was not an Alan Cayetano fan. WAS. Now I AM. I like his HONESTY, INTELLIGENCE, FAIRNESS, NATIONALISM… everything! If he runs for President, I wish I could vote 15 MILLION TIMES TO ENSURE HIS WIN. Our poor, impoverished country and people need this man, THIS KIND OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL. PASALAMAT TAYO AT BATA PA SIYA. MATAGAL PA NATING MAPAPAKINABANGAN… kung hindi siya IPALILIGPIT ng kanyang mga kaaway…. SO PLEASE….GOD BLESS SEN. ALAN CAYETANO EVER AND FOREVER. AMEN.

You said it right sir and i will campaign for him to win any position he wants to engage in. He is a very good example for other public official to follow. God bless the cause he is fighting for…the family who support him and his mother ( and the late Sen Rene) who give him exemplary upbringing…

With GIBO TEODORO fed up with politics as I read once, I believe our hope and salvation now lies in the person of SEN. ALAN CAYETANO. No one in the visible scene and horizon could be like him. Not Mar. AND OF COURSE, NOT, NEVER, NUNCA, KALIMUTAN NA LANG…. BINAY!

With regards to this issue between Enrile and Sen. Allan Peter Cayetano, I stand squarely behind Allan. God does work in mysterious ways. Expect a battle, no, a war in the Senate. Enrile’s chief of Staff, Atty Gigi, should at least be reprimanded by the Senate Ethics Committee, or thrown out of the Senate. A libel suit against her would be nice too.

will we allow one like him to lead our country after President Aquino?

can we make a stand on who should we support for Senators to help the President carry out his program and vision for the country? I believe it’s high time that CPM’ers MUST come out with a solid stand for a senatorial slate…

@chit I too believe that this site and like minded individuals in cyberspace can make a difference this coming elections. It is time to unite our voices and resources to come up with a slate of candidates whom we believe can best support the vision of President PNOY. He might not be the brightest, he might not be perfect, but he represents our best chance in recent years to make up for the years we lost with Marcos, Estrada and Arroyo. Let us do our part and let us not be silent this time around, so that the likes of Binay, Enrile, Estrada, Honasan can never be voted again. Raissa, please heed our pleas, use this site to promote the right candidates for this coming elections. Thank you in advance.